Grover Robinson files to run for Pensacola mayor

Escambia County Commissioner Grover Robinson pre-filed Monday morning to run for mayor of Pensacola in 2018.

Robinson, a county commissioner since 2006, is the first person to file for the race.

Robinson told the News Journal that ever since he announced he would not be seeking another term on the County Commission, people have told him he should run for mayor.

"After some soul searching and discussion with my family, we decided to file today," Robinson said.

Robinson is a seventh generation Pensacolian and has served as chairman of the board of county commissioners twice, in 2010 and 2016.

He said he's talked with people from all over Pensacola and the common thread he's heard is everyone wants to make Pensacola better.

"What needs to happen is the city needs to develop a little bit better cooperation and coordination between the mayor and the council," Robinson said. "If I were there in the position, and everybody looks at it differently, that would be a more collaborative effort. We would be looking at each one of the districts, all seven of them, and saying what can we do, what are the priorities in each one. And make a plan and move forward on that plan."

Robinson said he doesn't have the answers for every part of Pensacola but he knows the people who live in the community have ideas to make Pensacola better.

"What they need is somebody that is committed to finding a way to turn those ideas that they have into a reality that makes it better," Robinson said.

Robinson also said he would work on the city working together with other local governments.

"Look at the challenges we had in not knowing what was happening when somebody was recruiting a basketball team and didn't communicate to the county," Robinson said. "... For a city to hit on all cylinders there needs to be collaboration and coordination."

Mayor Ashton Hayward, in his second term, had not yet filed to run.

Vernon Stewart, spokesman for Hayward's office, issued a statement from Hayward after the announcement.

"My family and I will prayerfully consider our next steps of how we can best continue making Pensacola and Northwest Florida the best place to live, work and raise a family," Hayward said in the statement. "I anticipate we will announce that direction after the holidays."

In a written statement announcing his candidacy, Robinson touted his 11 years on the County Commission.

"I have managed a multi-million-dollar budget that is only $3 million more dollars today than the day I first took office, with many consolidations such as ECAT and the West Florida Public Library, that removed Pensacola citizens from paying twice in their county taxes and again in their city taxes," Robinson said in the written statement. "At the same time, I have participated in growing economic opportunities with the single largest job expansion in Florida during the term of my service with the Navy Federal expansion."

The election is non-partisan and a candidate must obtain 1,993 signatures from registered Pensacola voters to be on the ballot.

The election is Nov. 6, 2018.

"Local government is not magic despite sometimes the way people want to portray it," Robinson said. "It's a lot about relationships and hard work."